Don and I are incredibly humbled and honored to receive the Justin Flippen Community Trailblazer Award from Human Rights Campaign. Justin was a friend and mentor, so it makes this honor even more special.

In April 1949, the world reeled from unspeakable horrors. An estimated 85 million people suffered agonizing deaths in WWII: 45 million soldiers were smeared across battlefields; 25 million people starved to death; and 11 million Jews, gays and other minorities drew their last breath in Hitler’s maniacal death camps.

I've always been curious about the BDSM/kink scene, especially here in South Florida, but diving into this world seems daunting.

The picture we use to remind us of Harvey Milk is one of him smiling. The photo used to remind us of Matthew Shepherd is that of a beautiful, blond waif. We’re not asked to remember Harvey lying on the floor bleeding out, nor Matthew tied to a fence, beaten and left to die.